They p***** off the old DMC fanbase, they called the old creator, they called the old games, the called the fans, they have been arrogant thinking their work is better, they've been ignorant ignoring fans complaints and making it look like nothing is wrong and they've also just dug themselfs in a bigger hole the two whole years this was announced.

...and now "we" are to blame

I don't think so

Not to mention the games are terrible as DMC games...how they got good reviews I'll never know. It's like people forgot what made a DMC game...DMC

Don't lump all the old DMC fanbase together. I'm part of that fanbase but i really enjoyed the new one. Should it have been called something else? Maybe. I honestly hope they make another one but i also hope that they make another Devil May Cry like the originals. I think they can both co exist. The reason it got good reviews was because its a good game. The only bad reviews it got was from pissed off fanboys. Hell some of the metacritic user reviews were just down right dumb. One guy said the combat and story and game was great but because it wasn't the original dante he gave it a zero out of ten. I mean really come on. I think its a shame people didn't put their fanboyism aside and try the game. I think people would have been surprised at how good the game really is.

Yeah, I get pissed when an author tries to blame fans and/or gamers in general for poor sales. If they're a "fan" of the series, they probably bought the game, so how are they to blame.

If they're not satisfied with the direction the game/series is going, and decide not to buy it, it's their choice. Most people work hard for their money, and owe NOTHING to any developer/publisher. The developer/publisher in EVERY instance need to remember that they must offer something of quality to get people to spend money on their product, or have very savvy marketing to get people to buy it.

I'm not saying DMC is good or bad, but in the beginning of development, the backlash against emo Dante was evident. That alone put many fans of the series to caution. It's a risk/reward industry. They took a chance, and it's time for gamers to decide if they want to spend their money or not. It is NEVER the gamers fault though.

I remember this crap with Heavenly Sword... how it was the gamer's fault it didn't sell well. And that was from the dev studio. Pissed me off for any development studio to believe that they are owed something.

@Dno, Okay 4 might be repetitive but when you get Dante, the gameplay mechanics from Devil May Cry 3 are present but perfected.

The one I would somewhat agree on with you is Devil May Cry 2 which actually should be compared to DmC because this is what happened when the company tried to go in a different direction and instead it turned out to be nothing like the original and also the worst in the franchise, well of course until DmC came along.

I will say, the quote from Dante in DMC 2 is pretty awesome. "King??? Yeah, Here's your Crown!" Epic!!

I know right, the only people who loved past DMC games were total weirdos. Once you alienate those idiots, you've got nothing left. If you can't ignite a new fanbase with a snarky little bitch who looks like he hasn't been to a gym his entire life, of course I'm not buying it, you emo bitches.

Ninja theory acted too arrogantly towards the devil may cry fanbase and although they do make good games im sort of glad this has happend as it may cause them to change there attitude..probably wont though!

Its a reboot that didn't do much to cater to the previous fanbase. In theory this game had to make new fans so this game came in to the scene without a core fanbase.

The fans of the reboot went out on bought it so you can't blame them. I would say the core following for this rebooted franchise is now getting established. Is it lower than expected? In comparison to the previous DMC? Well Capcom shouldn't have rebooted the franchise then lol.

1) The customer is always right. Give the people what they want. Capcom and NT refused to do this. And because they refused to listen to the fanbase. The fans had no choice but to vote with their wallet.

2) Hack n' Slash is a PS3 genre. GOW3 is approaching 5 million copies sold, not counting re-releases; Bayonetta died because it was broken on PS3. How many people who played HSword also play DMC or NG or GOW. I would say almost all of them. I would estimate that H&S has a relatively small fanbase which supports about 5 or 6 games.

3) Ninja Theory lets that fanbase know how much they don't appreciate the base's support of HSword almost every time NT releases a statement. But Ninja Theory makes hack n' slash games, so insulting this fanbase is downright suicidal, and the numbers bear it out.

3.5) Because of #3 Capcom was stupid to get Ninja Theory to make this game. Until NT stops smacktalking and insulting fans, and makes Heavenly Sword 2 (the only thing that the fans want from them) The H&S fanbase is going to be overly critical of every thing they do.

4) I do believe that changing Dante's hair color and his lineage from half human/half demon to half angel/half demon matter....especially the hair color. The hair color can have no material effect on the game. Refusing to change it could only be viewed as show of spite / refusal of acknowledgement to the fans.

5.) Tomonobu Itagaki is hasn't released a game in 5 years, yet Capcom thought it was better to get Ninja Theory to reboot Devil May Cry. (say that out loud; it sounds even dumber than when you read it)

You make solid good points that dont sound fanboyish great breakdown but its true the fans from more than one base were split and NT did all the wrong moves and interviews I did my part and spoke with my wallet two of my main reasons were the disrespect NT were doing and because they wiped out the possibility of finishing the original canon I dont feel complete and lastly I love reason number 5 it wouldve been an excellent move if capcom got Tomonobu itagaki to reboot it to be honest that sounds pretty damn awesome

Nice list, though with "3.5", NT won't be making Heavenly Sword 2 any time soon since Sony owns the IP. Hopefully Sony would be smart and not hand ask them to do it (due to #3) and have an Santa Monica or such handle it.

Yeah, but if NT were to change their tone and make Heavenly Sword 2, I believe that would be seen as an apology.

Right now, Santa Monica has no reason to make a Heavenly Sword game. Heavenly Sword and God of War are both hack n' slash. For Santa Monica it would be a waste of resources to make a Heavenly Sword game when they can use the same labor to make God of War.

Haha so now it's on the fans that the game didn't sell well. Hmm can anyone say Damage control? Capcom take this as a lesson and listen to the fans and not alienate them like you did with this game... Oh and with Resident Evil 6!

Capcom and Ninja Theory suffer from their obstinacy. They thought a reboot would gain more sales than DMC4. It's doing poorly and will probably never reach 1 million sales. DMC4 managed to gain just under 3 million sold worldwide.

As for this article. Are fans to blame for the low sales? After reading it, I think the author is trying to be balanced. He concedes that if a consumer is unhappy with a product, he should not feel 'entitled' and instead should protest with his wallet. That is exactly what has happened. Just as the gamer is not entitled to have his way on a game's development, the developer is also not entitled to have sales just because it needs to make some profit. The best business is one of mutual interest. Fans will only continue to support a franchise if you cater to them and impress them. By alienating an entire fanbase, you risk a boycott and there is nothing wrong with a boycott.

Remember, a company needs to appeal to the customer to get them to purchase a product. You can't simply moan when you choose to be selfish and nobody is buying it.

The funny thing is that Devil May Cry 4 with Nero was the "Reboot" that did not include Dante in the game whatsoever, once the fans heard this, they were not happy so they changed the game and put Dante back in. The only problem with Devil May Cry 4 was that it wasn't a full Dante game other than that it was a good beautiful looking game! Nero wasn't bad just lacking with his moveset once you get him back after using Dante.

I say yes because too many people still go by that old saying of "Judging a book by its cover!" The game came out great, but yet the fans were a bit harsh towards the change. I get it, gamers are scared of change, but at times you should not be afraid. DMC Came out on top with great camera angles and awesome fight mechanics. The dialogue was a lot better than the old versions as well. I enjoyed it.

I agreeI'm having a blast playin g through it on Dante Must Die Mode and still trying to find all the secrets it offered! and I'm really starting to get the full scope of the combat! Enemies are far far more brutal and unforgiving! I'll stop playing once ive completed Hell or Heaven! I'm not messing with that HOH shit!

Playing through DMC 4 and I gotta admit, that game had it's flaws. Namely, Nero and replaying the same 12 missions over as Dante. I also hated playing as Nero, and funnily enough, they make a whole new DMC based around Nero's weaker combat minus the ex gauge O.o

So yeah, there was something wrong with DMC but everything they "fixed" wasn't necessarily broken.

The answer is most companies set the sale goals to high. i mean im not bashing on dmc but cmon... you can tell they didn't pump millions into the dam thing but expect %200 profit.(tho i think the game is ok)

I still stand by the opinion that DmC was not made with the intention of appealing to the original core fanbase, taking this into consideration, how is it possible for a demographic that was never even taken into account as a potential consumer possibly be the reason for a product failing?

Spite or no spite DmC was available for anyone to buy, the majority of gamers just chose not too.

Awwwww someone is a little upset that their favorite isn't doing so well after all that time spent on knocking peoples opinions on dmc articles trying to defend it

"You can't have freedom of expression if you're quick to attack anyone who has different view"

LOL, what a massive hypocrite, you hate anyone who doesn't share your opinion, you did it on every dmc article before it was released, just like what your doing now however this time your trying to project your flaws onto me...thats hilarious. Unlike you I don't attack anyone on forums and stuff but rather the people in the companies who deserved to be hated on.

Thats right, instead of posting a comment normally like everyone else you saw me, commented on me and me only and you know what it's becoming pretty sad

"Awwwww someone is a little upset that their favorite isn't doing so well after all that time spent on knocking peoples opinions on dmc articles trying to defend it"

Sounds very mature. Why would I be upset if I am enjoying my game? Your opinion really has no relevance at all about how much I enjoy it so don't flatter yourself. Seems to me you're the one who gets upset because the more people that like it the less chances the publisher will likely care about your issues. That's why it's in your best interest to pool a bunch of others to go around parading the forums telling people not to buy it. To me it don't matter, I already have the game so the damage is already done from your point of view.

"LOL, what a massive hypocrite, you hate anyone who doesn't share your opinion, you did it on every dmc article before it was released, just like what your doing now however this time your trying to project your flaws onto me...thats hilarious. Unlike you I don't attack anyone on forums and stuff but rather the people in the companies who deserved to be hated on."

My flaws? I'm not the one who argues with moderators telling them they are wrong. I'm not the one swarming this site with endless rhetoric going on and on and on about the same thing. I'm not the one who creates multiple accounts to make it appear more people think like me. So if my flaws are being open to see how good games like DMC, Tomb Raider and Dead Space 3 are by actually playing them without per-conceived opinions from just demo's or my vendetta towards these publishers then so be it.

"Thats right, instead of posting a comment normally like everyone else you saw me, commented on me and me only and you know what it's becoming pretty sad"

Actually what's sad is seeing people like you whine about not being able to voice their opinion, feeling like they are being picked-on, acting like the victim and preaching about freedom of expression to constantly see you contradict yourself in the process. While YOU attack people for not sharing your opinion, calling them PR people or suck-ups because they are not signing up to your petition.

If this is truly in your best interest to whine all day and preach the same thing then perhaps you should take up a new hobby.

"Do you need a tissue to wipe away those tears..."

Again you tell me I'm the one being immature. Do you even know what the word hypocrite and immature mean?

God, I'm so happy about this situation. It's taken two years to reach this point, but finally NT and Capcom realize that the fans do matter and Tameem should have cared whether we're interested in this game or not.

I'd say the blame is more on the fans but some of it has to do with the state of gaming aswellFans who vehemently hate this reboot ultimately damned this game no matter how good it was, they were willing to admit that this is a great acttion game but dismissed it as a great DMC game and personally, The only BAD DMC game there was was DMC2 and that has been unanimously the admitted consesus. The fact is the never let of of the ire of the initial look of the redesign when it was unveiled back in 2010, fast forward later and that hate they held onto later affect the already dwindling fanbase that action hack and slash has seen since this generation began.

They said they wanted a NEXT GEN DMC3, and capcom gave them that in the form of DMC4. what happened... It barely sold 2 million and they bitched that it wasn't as good because it had a new character and there were insane amount of back tracking. Capcom seeing the state of things decides to reboot and thus they get irate, Granted the initial backlash was warranted. because the game didn't look anything recognizable in what DMC was all about.

But over the 3 years Ex capcom and developers DMC fore father put out Bayonnetta, and as amazing as that game was it too was also bashed as being a DMC rip and was even coined the nickname Devil May Boobs, The game went on to be a huge success as far as critcs go, but didn't even reach 2 million. So what the point of all things ive said

The Fanbase that use to play these games have dwindled, even Mega franchises like GOW have suffered in sales due to to the rise in the shooter genre, and as such interest in the hack and slash has all but diminished, couple that with the really uncalled for hate towards a game that fans really didn't give a chance because of a few cosmetic changes given the premis that it is a reboot you can really see that this game was unfairly treated.

IT REALLY IS a GOOD Game, The story while very straight forward, is Far more cohesive and put together than any game in the series! It isn't quite as hardcore, but it isn't a casual affair either. I totally understand that NT's Lead was outspoken, Giving the game a chance wouldnt kill the soul, the game was far from broken, and by far its the best in combat experience coming from NT's last games which were moderately enjoyable combat experiences. And as a game in DMC's lineage The games aspects dont stray far from the core.

At the end though the game managed 1 million worldwide! and is on track to reach the lowered shipment figures of 1.2 million, I'm just gald Capcom gave the game a chance, but it looks like despite trying to rejuvinate the franchise with this reboot/retelling, the strinking fanbase that largely ignored DMC4 which was a copy and paste of DMC3's amazing combate with minor improvements, ignored this games too and well I have a feeling DMC fans on a whole will lose because while this game is excellent capcom will shelve it. This is largely why I believe that Bayonnetta 2 will stay exclusive to the Wii U because the it sold meagerly on the X360/PS3. The fanvbase just isn't there anymore, refuse to give anything a chance.

The reason why Devil May Cry 4 wasn't good because of terrible game infrastructure. You traveled the same area over several times which led to fighting the same bosses repeatedly. Other than that the combat improved greatly due to the on the fly Style selection and Devil Arm of Nero (who shouldn't have took up the majority of the game mind you but I liked the character). All Capcom really needed to do was:

Anytime a person tells me to shell out £40 ($60) for a game because "there's a chance you may enjoy it" I have to ask them if they are being serious, or if they don't realise how incredibly stupid that sounds...

Im not trying to offend you, Im just trying to make a point here. The core fans may not have given DmC a chance, but when posed with choice of purchasing a possible pleasant surprise or an equally possible disappointment, a £40 ($60) price tag is too steep for most people to take the dive.

So let me get this straight, if I like a game that you don't like, you should buy it because I say its good, and if you don't I get to call you an entitled whiner for not shelling out 60$ whenever Capcom or whoever demands. That about right?

Ultimately poor sales are on the devs and pubs not the gamers. Need I remind you that gamers are the most gullible consumers on the planet.

Nope, Capcom is to blame for not listening to the fans, we can all say that the fans are whiners and that they should take it on the chin but the fact is that it is not only the fans who buy the game but they are also in control and this is where SPP was brilliant. We all remember when they changed Coles look and all hell broke loose, well they listened to their fans and made the necessary changes but Capcom apparently thinks it is bigger than the industry.

How can you blame the fans when Capcom/ ninja theory did everything in there power to piss off the old fans and to try an replace them with the "wider audience"? turns out they weren't really interested with it in the first place.

though I'm not surprised a game journalist would make a completely stupid article blaming the fans for the developers failures, got to have those Doritos.

"I hear quite often when we enter the turbulent waters of "entitled gamer syndrome" that fans should stop complaining and vote with their wallets. If you don’t like it, so the advice goes, quit whining and just don’t buy it.

"Yet here we have an example of that very self-same thing happening right before our eyes, and now it turns out that voting with one’s wallet is actually akin to destroying a brand out of spite."

"It’s almost—almost!—as if some people think game publishers are entitled to sales regardless of whether or not customers particularly care for the product."

I find the reversal very interesting, now it's a game publishers who are acting "entitled".